The Medication Safety Programme aims to greatly reduce the number of New Zealanders harmed each year by medication errors in our hospitals, general practices, aged care facilities and across the entire health and disability sector.

Healthcare associated infection is one of the most frequent adverse events in health care worldwide. Up to 10 percent of patients admitted to modern hospitals in the developed world acquire one or more infections.

The Commission is increasing its focus on primary care and community services, aged residential care and disability services. The Primary Care programme aims to increase quality improvement capability in these areas.

Health Quality & Safety Commission Chief Executive Dr Janice Wilson was one of the first people to congratulate Whanganui District Health Board (DHB) for its focus on quality and safety at last night’s Whanganui 2012 Health and Disability Quality Awards dinner.

A member of the seven-person judging panel, Dr Wilson said it was encouraging to see a commitment to quality improvement across a wide range of services at Whanganui DHB.

This is the second year that the awards have offered the opportunity for the entire health and disability sector to acknowledge and celebrate the high quality work being produced across the Whanganui DHB region.

The 27 applicants who entered in the 11 categories offered in this year’s awards were asked to show how they or their teams have contributed to an improved health and disability service, or to better health.

Given that quality and safety improvement is the basis of the Commission’s work, and that the Commission is currently working with the health and disability sector on a new national patient safety campaign, awards organisers said they were pleased to have Dr Wilson on the judging panel.

“Initially, the Commission will be focusing on improvements in hospital settings, with the aim of reducing harm from falls, health care associated infections, surgery and medication,” says Dr Wilson. “We will continue to promote proven harm-prevention initiatives which fit within providers’ existing quality and safety strategies.”

“The campaign will support and bring a further focus to the initiatives already underway throughout New Zealand, including those highlighted by the Whanganui DHB’s quality awards.”

Close to 200 people attended the awards dinner including representatives from Deaf Aotearoa who entered the awards this year. Two ‘signers’ were at the presentation to translate for the deaf attendees in the audience.